RMT Education Course Applications

I would like to remind everyone that under Sections 168 and 169 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, Trade Union Representatives have the right to paid time off from work in order to attend trade union courses ‘approved by… the independent trade union of which he/she is an official.’ To assist with the issue of paid release I am attaching a newly drafted education application form that form the date of this circular must be used for all application s to attend any RMT Education courses.

The RMT’s Education Programme is a legitimate recognised trade union training programme that fulfils the requirements of this act with employers where we have recognition agreements in place

It is the policy of the RMT Union that elected representatives should be trained within the RMT’s Education Programme as employers are under no obligation to release reps for both the RMT Workplace Reps courses as well as the TUC stage 1 Reps course.

Resolution 43 of our 2009 AGM states:

“This AGM therefore instructs the General Secretary to further extend our education programme to enable us to train all representatives on RMT courses as opposed to our elected reps going to the 10 day TUC course”

If a union representative is refused reasonable paid release then a case can be taken to an employment tribunal.

I would also remind you that we can run regional education courses based on the national courses that will be funded from our central fund, Regional Councils should therefore make every effort to organise and run regular ‘local’ courses.